a first hello

[Guest guest]

Hi all -

I am brand new to this list and would like to thank Connie for telling me

about it.

I thought I would jump in and say a couple of things.

First off, about the hives. Ahh, the hives. I can hardly believe I have

found a place where people know what this feels like!

I have had hives off and on for the last 6 years. There were incidents

before that but short duration. Actually in the last six years, there have

been about four spells all about 2 weeks where I didn't have them. And one

long spell of about 6 months. The rest of the time I have hives. Worse at

night, like so many - and swelling, the works. Hard to live with.

The first time - it was so weird but now I realize not. I thought for sure

it was psychological bc I would only get them when I got wet, and they would

go away immediately if I lied down. That was a pattern for about 10 months.

Since then, I have figured out that hives when wet are not that uncommon -

and that lying down? I think maybe it had something to do with resting my

adrenals.

So the rest of the time the only things that I have found work to stop them

( I don't want to take prednisone, I have CFS and don't think it's a good

idea) are systemic antifungals. Trouble is, they only work for a short

time. Then it's like the hives override them. I have tried many. For

now, the hives are close to at their worst - hardly controlled by the

zrytec/zantac combo and Lamisil, an antifungal with the addition of oil of

oregano, another antifungal, antiviral.

I have had CFS for most of this time - actually the hives came first and I

am just investigating whether this really intense exposure to carbonless

copy paper was my final demise. No kidding.

The CFS is not alot better, thanks to alot of research on the net, and my

doc's willingness to listen. The hives? Ahh, the hives. They're still

there. I almost wish for the days when I knew what would trigger them and

what would make them go away - tho they were worse then.

I have only a few clues lately that I am working on. I have had all the

amalgams out of my teeth, knowing that mercury in the amalgams is symbiotic

with the candida yeast. It is a minefield trying to figure out how to get

the risdual mercury out of ones system though. I

I also had two of seven root canals removed and that helped with the CFS and

the hives enormously. It was a permanent gain, it seems, with the CFS - the

hives? Ahh, the hives - they returned quickly. I

I also have a large staple in one knee (has been there for like 20 years)

and it is made of stainless steel which contains nickel. I am figuring

there is a nickel allergy that may have developed. So far no doc can take

the staple out - bc it would probably mean a " knee replacement " (no thank

you) and that would mean alot more metal than I have now...

Here are two things I am looking into now - I would love to hear if anyone

has any experience.

1. Histidine? ( an amino acid) This is a precursor to histamine and on

first glance would seem contraindicatory. But I mentioned it to my doc and

he said that histamine was given for allergies before there were

antihistamines. This was suggested to me by Jeff of the Metals list -

I have to look up again why it might be a good idea. Anyone know anything,

or try this?

2. This one I tried and it didn't work for me but may for someone else. My

doc said he went to a seminar given by Dr (Tahoma Clinic)

(they have a line of vitamins out too - biotics brand) and he mentioned

briefly that vitamin K3 could help. 5 mg 3x a day. (I wrote to the clinic

and got verification of the dosage). K3 is called metadione and needs a

prescription.

The only other thing I would like to add besides that I would love any

feedback you all have on similar stuff is that these hives I have (or do

they have me?) feel much better with heat. When I tell my doc that he

thinks that is odd. I take a hot bath to soothe them, or go to the sauna.

One more thing! I just saw this homeopath - a constitutional one. He seems

to think that hives are a good thing - that the body has not forced the

illness deeper into the system. So, he is working on balancing my system.

He said the hives will be the last thing to go on the way from not so

healthy to healthy. Not great news for the itching.

Thanks for reading all this. I hope I can keep up w all your posts. And I

am glad to be here.

Take care,